anne of the island-第18章

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The　floor　was　spotted　with　round；　braided　mats；　such　as　Marilla

made　at　Green　Gables；　but　which　were　considered　out　of　date

everywhere　else；　even　in　Avonlea。　　And　yet　here　they　were　on

Spofford　Avenue！　　A　big；　polished　grandfather's　clock　ticked

loudly　and　solemnly　in　a　corner。　　There　were　delightful　little

cupboards　over　the　mantelpiece；　behind　whose　glass　doors　gleamed

quaint　bits　of　china。　　The　walls　were　hung　with　old　prints　and

silhouettes。　　In　one　corner　the　stairs　went　up；　and　at　the　first

low　turn　was　a　long　window　with　an　inviting　seat。　　It　was　all

just　as　Anne　had　known　it　must　be。



By　this　time　the　silence　had　grown　too　dreadful；　and　Priscilla

nudged　Anne　to　intimate　that　she　must　speak。



〃We　　we　　saw　by　your　sign　that　this　house　is　to　let；〃　said　Anne

faintly；　addressing　the　older　lady；　who　was　evidently　Miss　Patty　Spofford。



〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Miss　Patty。　　〃I　intended　to　take　that　sign　down　today。〃



〃Then　　then　we　are　too　late；〃　said　Anne　sorrowfully。　　〃You've　let　it

to　some　one　else？〃



〃No；　but　we　have　decided　not　to　let　it　at　all。〃



〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry；〃　exclaimed　Anne　impulsively。　　〃I　love　this　place　so。

I　did　hope　we　could　have　got　it。〃



Then　did　Miss　Patty　lay　down　her　knitting；　take　off　her　specs；

rub　them；　put　them　on　again；　and　for　the　first　time　look　at　Anne

as　at　a　human　being。　　The　other　lady　followed　her　example　so

perfectly　that　she　might　as　well　have　been　a　reflection　in　a　mirror。



〃You　LOVE　it；〃　said　Miss　Patty　with　emphasis。　　〃Does　that　mean

that　you　really　LOVE　it？　　Or　that　you　merely　like　the　looks　of　it？

The　girls　nowadays　indulge　in　such　exaggerated　statements　that　one

never　can　tell　what　they　DO　mean。　　It　wasn't　so　in　my　young　days。

THEN　a　girl　did　not　say　she　LOVED　turnips；　in　just　the　same　tone

as　she　might　have　said　she　loved　her　mother　or　her　Savior。〃



Anne's　conscience　bore　her　up。



〃I　really　do　love　it；〃　she　said　gently。　　〃I've　loved　it　ever　since

I　saw　it　last　fall。　　My　two　college　chums　and　I　want　to　keep　house

next　year　instead　of　boarding；　so　we　are　looking　for　a　little　place

to　rent；　and　when　I　saw　that　this　house　was　to　let　I　was　so　happy。〃



〃If　you　love　it；　you　can　have　it；〃　said　Miss　Patty。　　〃Maria　and　I

decided　today　that　we　would　not　let　it　after　all；　because　we　did

not　like　any　of　the　people　who　have　wanted　it。　　We　don't　HAVE　to

let　it。　　We　can　afford　to　go　to　Europe　even　if　we　don't　let　it。

It　would　help　us　out；　but　not　for　gold　will　I　let　my　home　pass

into　the　possession　of　such　people　as　have　come　here　and　looked

at　it。　　YOU　are　different。　　I　believe　you　do　love　it　and　will　be

good　to　it。　　You　can　have　it。〃



〃If　　if　we　can　afford　to　pay　what　you　ask　for　it；〃　hesitated　Anne。



Miss　Patty　named　the　amount　required。　　Anne　and　Priscilla　looked

at　each　other。　　Priscilla　shook　her　head。



〃I'm　afraid　we　can't　afford　quite　so　much；〃　said　Anne；　choking

back　her　disappointment。　　〃You　see；　we　are　only　college　girls

and　we　are　poor。〃



〃What　were　you　thinking　you　could　afford？〃　demanded　Miss　Patty；

ceasing　not　to　knit。



Anne　named　her　amount。　　Miss　Patty　nodded　gravely。



〃That　will　do。　　As　I　told　you；　it　is　not　strictly　necessary　that

we　should　let　it　at　all。　　We　are　not　rich；　but　we　have　enough　to

go　to　Europe　on。　　I　have　never　been　in　Europe　in　my　life；　and　never

expected　or　wanted　to　go。　　But　my　niece　there；　Maria　Spofford；　has

taken　a　fancy　to　go。　　Now；　you　know　a　young　person　like　Maria　can't

go　globetrotting　alone。〃



〃No　　I　　I　suppose　not；〃　murmured　Anne；　seeing　that　Miss　Patty

was　quite　solemnly　in　earnest。



〃Of　course　not。　　So　I　have　to　go　along　to　look　after　her。　　I　expect　to

enjoy　it；　too；　I'm　seventy　years　old；　but　I'm　not　tired　of　living　yet。

I　daresay　I'd　have　gone　to　Europe　before　if　the　idea　had　occurred　to　me。

We　shall　be　away　for　two　years；　perhaps　three。　　We　sail　in　June　and　we

shall　send　you　the　key；　and　leave　all　in　order　for　you　to　take

possession　when　you　choose。　　We　shall　pack　away　a　few　things　we

prize　especially；　but　all　the　rest　will　be　left。〃



〃Will　you　leave　the　china　dogs？〃　asked　Anne　timidly。



〃Would　you　like　me　to？〃



〃Oh；　indeed；　yes。　　They　are　delightful。〃



A　pleased　expression　came　into　Miss　Patty's　face。



〃I　think　a　great　deal　of　those　dogs；〃　she　said　proudly。　　〃They　are

over　a　hundred　years　old；　and　they　have　sat　on　either　side　of　this

fireplace　ever　since　my　brother　Aaron　brought　them　from　London

fifty　years　ago。　　Spofford　Avenue　was　called　after　my　brother　Aaron。〃



〃A　fine　man　he　was；〃　said　Miss　Maria；　speaking　for　the　first　time。

〃Ah；　you　don't　see　the　like　of　him　nowadays。〃



〃He　was　a　good　uncle　to　you；　Maria；〃　said　Miss　Patty；　with　evident　emotion。

〃You　do　well　to　remember　him。〃



〃I　shall　always　remember　him；〃　said　Miss　Maria　solemnly。　　〃I　can　see　him；

this　minute；　standing　there　before　that　fire；　with　his　hands　under　his

coat…tails；　beaming　on　us。〃



Miss　Maria　took　out　her　handkerchief　and　wiped　her　eyes；　but　Miss　Patty

came　resolutely　back　from　the　regions　of　sentiment　to　those　of　business。



〃I　shall　leave　the　dogs　where　they　are；　if　you　will　promise　to　be

very　careful　of　them；〃　she　said。　　〃Their　names　are　Gog　and　Magog。

Gog　looks　to　the　right　and　Magog　to　the　left。　　And　there's　just

one　thing　more。　　You　don't　object；　I　hope；　to　this　house　being

called　Patty's　Place？〃



〃No；　indeed。　　We　think　that　is　one　of　the　nicest　things　about　it。〃



〃You　have　sense；　I　see；〃　said　Miss　Patty　in　a　tone　of　great　satisfaction。

〃Would　you　believe　it？　　All　the　people　who　came　here　to　rent　the　house

wanted　to　know　if　they　couldn't　take　the　name　off　the　gate　during　their

occupation　of　it。　　I　told　them　roundly　that　the　name　went　with　the　house。

This　has　been　Patty's　Place　ever　since　my　brother　Aaron　left　it　to　me　in

his　will；　and　Patty's　Place　it　shall　remain　until　I　die　and　Maria　dies。

After　that　happens　the　next　possessor　can　call　it　any　fool　name　he　likes；〃

concluded　Miss　Patty；　much　as　she　might　have　said；　〃After　that　　the　deluge。〃

〃And　now；　wouldn't　you　like　to　go　over　the　house　and　see　it　all　before　we

consider　the　bargain　made？〃



Further　exploration　still　further　delighted　the　girls。　　Besides　the

big　living…room；　there　was　a　kitchen　and　a　small　bedroom　downstairs。

Upstairs　were　three　rooms；　one　large　and　two　small。　　Anne　took　an

especial　fancy　to　one　of　the　small　ones；　looking　out　into　the　big　pines；

and　hoped　it　would　be　hers。　　It　was　papered　in　pale　blue　and　had　a

little；　old…timey　toilet　table　with　sconces　for　candles。　　There　was

a　diamond…paned　window　with　a　seat　under　the　blue　muslin　frills　that

would　be　a　satisfying　spot　for　studying　or　dreaming。



〃It's　all　so　delicious　that　I　know　we　are　going　to　wake　up　and　find

it　a　fleeting　vision　of　the　night；〃　said　Priscilla　as　they　went　away。



〃Miss　Patty　and　Miss　Maria　are　hardly　such　stuff　as　dreams　are

made　of；〃　laughed　Anne。　　〃Can　you　fancy　them　‘globe…trotting'　

especially　in　those　shawls　and　caps？〃



〃I　suppose　they'll　take　them　off　when　they　really　begin　to　trot；〃

said　Priscilla；　〃but　I　know　they'll　take　their　knitting　with

them　everywhere。　　They　simply　couldn't　be　parted　from　it。

They　will　walk　about　Westminster　Abbey　and　knit；　I　feel　sure。

Meanwhile；　Anne；　we　shall　be　living　in　Patty's　Place　　and　on

Spofford　Avenue。　　I　feel　like　a　millionairess　even　now。〃



〃I　feel　like　one　of　the　morning　stars　that　sang　for　joy；〃　said　Anne。



Phil　Gordon　crept　into　Thirty…eight；　St。　John's；　that　night　and

flung　herself　on　Anne's　bed。



〃Girls；　dear；　I'm　tired　to　death。　　I　feel　like　the　man　without　a　country　

or　was　it　without　a　shadow？　　I　forget　which。　　Anyway；　I've　been　packing　up。〃



〃And　I　suppose　you　are　worn　out　because　you　couldn't　decide　which

things　to　pack　first；　or　where　to　put　them；〃　laughed　Priscilla。



〃E…zackly。　　And　when　I　had　got　everything　jammed　in　somehow；　and

my　landlady　and　her　maid　had　both　sat　on　it　while　I　locked　it；　I

disc